Lights aim to stop the Saints' march

The Montana State University-Northern Lights have been close — closer than the scoreboard would indicate when it comes to getting the first win of the young season.

However, as the Lights return to Blue Pony Stadium this Saturday, getting over that hump will be easier said than done.

That’s because Northern (0-2, 0-2) welcomes in No. 22 Carroll College (1-1, 1-1) for a Frontier Conference showdown, with kickoff set for 1 p.m. Saturday in Havre. And, like when the Lights had to go on the road to an angry Montana Tech squad in what was a 35-10 loss last weekend, the Fighting Saints are coming to Havre with something to prove as well.

Carroll, which upset then No. 7 Montana Tech to open the season, got a taste of the other side last Saturday when the Saints lost at Rocky Mountain College 21-20 in Billings. So, there’s no doubt that Carroll comes to Havre looking to bounce back, and there’s no doubt, Northern head coach Aaron Christensen expects the same old Carroll, the one that’s been the gem of the Frontier for decades.

“Carroll is going to be Carroll,” Christensen said. “They’re well coached, they have a really good defense, they’re physical and they’re very fundamentally sound. That’s the team we expect to see on Saturday.”

Those are also things Northern aspires to be against the Saints.

The Lights have shown flashes of very good football, including hanging with Tech 14-7 into the third quarter last week. But, timely turnovers and other various miscues have held the Lights back from snapping what is now a 13-game losing streak dating back to last season.

“For us, this week, it’s going to be the same as it was at Tech… we just can’t give points away,” Christensen said. “I feel like we’re so much better, offensively, defensively and on special teams. But, we are still making those key mistakes, or giving up that one or two big plays that are costing us a chance to win football games. And against the teams in this league, you just can’t do that. So we’ve got to be prepared to not make those kinds of mistakes this week.”

And if the Lights can avoid those mistakes, they have proven to be a worthy opponent, for anyone they have to face. Zach McKinley is leading the Frontier in rushing once again, averaging 97 yards per outing, while Jess Krahn looks more and more comfortable throwing to a bevy of different wide receivers, including Mario Gobbato, who already has 10 catches this season, as well as junior tight end Kagen Khameneh, who had an outstanding game at Tech. New kicker Tommy Langley has already booted three field goals this season as well.

Then there’s the Northern defense. The Lights rank third in the Frontier in total defense (335 ypg) and second against the run (90 ypg). Leading the way for Northern’s hard-nosed defense is the front line of ends Tyler Craig and Jordan Brusio, and tackles Pat Barnett and Lane Urick, while linebackers Garet Fowler, Alec Wagner and David N’Guessa are all in the Top 20 in the conference in tackles thus far. Add in the steady play in the back by safeties Logan Sprouse and Garrett Jericoff and Northern’s defense is already putting together something special.

“I think this defense is so much more improved,” Brusio said. “We’ve all just gained a lot more confidence, and the coaches are putting us in the position to work from our strengths. I think we’re playing really well so far, and we can get better too.”

Of course, Northern’s defense will be charged with being even better this week. While Carroll’s offense sputtered a year ago, and continues to struggle early in the 2016 season, it doesn’t mean the Fighting Saints, who have dominated the series against Northern over the last 10 years, including a 62-7 win in Helena last fall, are any less dangerous.

Carroll may be averaging just 24 points and 366 yards of offense this season, which is in the bottom half of the league, but there’s no denying the talent legendary head coach Mike Van Diest has at his disposal. Quarterback J.T. Linder (6-2, 217) is a superb athlete, and he has one of the best WR groups in the league to throw too, including the sensational Connor Fohn (6-1, 195), as well as steadies like Kyle Griffith (5-11, 185) and Troy Arnston (5-8, 170). Carroll’s running game can be tough too, with Ryan Walsh (6-1, 195) running behind, as usual, a stout Carroll offensive line, while tight end Eric Dawson (6-1, 240) is a threat as well.

However, as good as Carroll’s offense has the potential to be, it’s the Fighting Saints’ defense that Northern needs to crack. While MSU-N can rely on McKinley to lead the attack, the Lights are still struggling to score points, averaging a league-worst 15.5 points per game. Now, against a Carroll defense that boasts a big front four, fast linebackers and an outstanding secondary that includes stars like Ryan Gregory (6-0, 185) and Vince DiGiallonardo (6-0, 190), the Lights will need to not only show the ability to move the ball and score, but protect it as well, as the Saints have already forced seven turnovers in two games.

“The focus is on limiting our mistakes,” Christensen said. “Carroll is a team that will really make you pay for those mistakes. So we’ve got to protect the football, and offensively, we have to turn our good drives into points. We’ve had a lot of good drives that we just haven’t finished. Against a defense like Carroll’s, you’ve got to get points out of those drives.

“But in all three phases, the big key for us this week is just limiting those big mistakes that have hurt us in the first two games,” he added.

And if Northern can do that, if they can leave the plays that have set them back behind, then the Lights are right where they want to be. Brusio believes that, and Saturday is the perfect opportunity to make that happen.

“We’re right on the cusp of getting that first W,” Brusio said. “I don’t think the scoreboard reflects how we’ve played in the first two games. I think we’ve played really well. If we can just get through a game without any of those really big mistakes. Then we can prove to ourselves we can win games. We have a chance to go out this week and make a statement. We want to prove to everybody, and to ourselves, we’re a different team this year.”

The Lights and Saints will kick off at 1 p.m. Saturday inside Blue Pony Stadium. Northern is back on the road next Saturday, traveling to UM-Western, while Carroll is home to face Southern Oregon.